How to Figure Out Public Transport in Any Country (A System)

Every country has a public transport system. Some are obvious. Some are a mystery wrapped in a transit card that only takes exact change in a currency denomination you don’t have. From our research across 30+ countries, we’ve put together a framework that works every time. Three stages, same approach, regardless of where you are.

Stage 1: Airport to city

This is the highest-stress transit moment of any trip. You’ve just landed, you’re tired, you might not have local currency or a SIM card, and someone is definitely trying to overcharge you for a taxi.

The rule: research this one specific journey before you leave home. Just this one. You can figure everything else out on the ground, but the airport-to-accommodation transfer needs to be settled in advance. Know which option you’re taking, roughly what it costs, and where to find it.

In order of preference, here’s what works best:

1. Airport train/metro: If it exists, take it. Fixed price, no negotiation, no traffic. Bangkok, Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Seoul — the airport rail link is almost always the best option.
2. Official airport bus: Usually clearly marked, fixed route, affordable. Slower than a train but way cheaper than a taxi. Kuala Lumpur, Istanbul, and Lima all have solid airport bus services.
3. Ride-hailing app: Grab in Southeast Asia, Bolt in Europe/Africa, InDrive in Latin America. Price is fixed before you get in, no haggling. You need a data connection though, which is why SIM cards at the airport matter.
4. Metered taxi from the official queue: Emphasis on official queue and metered. The guy who approaches you in the arrivals hall is not the official queue. Find the sign that says “Taxi” and get in line. Insist on the meter. If the driver refuses, take the next one.

The golden rule: never take the first taxi that approaches you in an arrivals hall. This is true in virtually every country, according to travelers. The people who approach you are charging a premium for the convenience of catching tired, disoriented travelers. Walk past them. Find the official rank. Save 50%.

Stage 2: Daily transit

Once you’re in the city, you need to figure out how people actually get around day to day. This is where Google Maps transit directions are your starting point — but not your final answer.

Google Maps transit data is excellent in some cities (Tokyo, London, New York) and unreliable to nonexistent in others (most of Africa, parts of South America, smaller cities in Southeast Asia). If Google Maps shows transit routes, use them. If it doesn’t, look for a local app.

Some local transit apps that are better than Google Maps in their regions:

• Moovit: Good coverage in cities where Google Maps falls short, especially Latin America, Eastern Europe, and some African cities.
• Citymapper: Phenomenal for the 80+ cities it covers. Better UX than Google Maps for complex route planning. Download city data for offline use.
• Local apps: NAVITIME in Japan, KakaoMap in South Korea, 2GIS in Russia and Central Asia. These are often better than any international app for their specific region.

Transit cards vs. cash

Most major cities have a transit card system. Suica in Tokyo, Oyster in London, T-money in Seoul, Rabbit in Bangkok. The pattern is always the same: buy the card, load money, tap on/off. They almost always save you money compared to single tickets and eliminate the need to figure out exact fares.

Get the transit card on day one. Usually available at the airport or any major station. The small deposit (typically equivalent of $2-5) is refundable when you return it, and the convenience is immediate. No fumbling for coins, no trying to read fare charts in a language you don’t speak, no holding up a line of impatient commuters.

In cities without a card system, small bills and coins are essential. Break a large bill at a convenience store before you need to board a bus that only takes exact change. This is a lesson travelers learn the hard way — trying to board a bus with a large denomination note while an entire bus of people waits.

Ride-hailing as backup

In most countries, a ride-hailing app is the safety net when public transport fails you. Late at night, in unfamiliar areas, or when you’re just too tired to figure out the bus system — having Grab, Bolt, Uber, or whatever the local equivalent is means you always have a way home.

Set up the app before you need it. Add a payment method, verify your phone number, and take a test ride on a day when you’re not stressed. The worst time to troubleshoot app registration is midnight in the rain.

The ride-hailing landscape by region: Uber works in most of the Americas, Europe, and Australia. Grab dominates Southeast Asia. Bolt is strong in Europe and Africa. InDrive is growing in Latin America and Africa. DiDi covers China and parts of Latin America. Download the right one before you arrive.

Stage 3: Intercity travel

Moving between cities is where every country becomes unique. Some have high-speed rail. Some have chicken buses. Most have something in between.

The research process that works: search “[city A] to [city B] transport” before the trip. The top results will tell you whether it’s a train, bus, or flight situation. For trains, check if booking in advance saves money (it usually does in Europe, rarely matters in Asia). For buses, look for the name of the reputable company — every country has one or two bus operators that are significantly better than the rest.

Flights between cities are often cheaper than you’d expect, especially in Southeast Asia (AirAsia, VietJet), India (IndiGo), and within Europe (Ryanair, Wizz). A 3-hour bus ride and a 45-minute flight might cost the same. Check before defaulting to ground transport.

The system, summarized

Before you leave home: research the airport-to-city transfer and download the local ride-hailing app. On day one in the city: get a transit card and take one ride on the metro or bus to learn how it works. Before each intercity move: five minutes of research on the best option.

That’s it. No exhaustive pre-trip research. No memorizing bus routes. Just a simple system applied consistently. Public transport is how locals live, and once you’re on it, you see a completely different version of a city than the one visible from the back of a taxi.

If you use Fieldnotes, the Getting Around card for each city covers exactly this — airport transfers, transit cards, ride-hailing apps, and intercity options, specific to where you are. It’s the cheat sheet version of this whole framework, available offline.